Alt-Nation: Everything is New

D Generation return after 17-year hiatus since their last album, Through The Darkness, with Nothing Is Anywhere to serve up another gritty platter of rock ‘n’ roll from the bowels of Avenue A. On Thru The Darkness, D Generation dealt with the Rudy Giuliani-led Disney gentrification of New York City while the band was becoming in disarray, trapped in music business purgatory. Flash forward to 2016 where the hedge fund brigade has taken over New York City and rage is something one buys at Hot Topic. Nothing Is Anywhere kicks off with a nostalgia stomp-back reflecting back to a ’90s circus of freaks hanging out on a Tuesday night in “Queens of A.” The autobiographical anthem “Apocalypse Kids” channels hardcore sing-a-long swooping choruses in the most Cheap Trick way possible with all the “perfect imperfections” intact. Nothing Is Anywhere is no nostalgia go-cart as “20th Century Blues” has the swagger of a T-Rex chopping on The Hellacopters begging for change on the Bowery. “Militant” launches into a hardcore rage while defiantly ending with “you can’t touch my soul.” The infectious “Rich Kids” would be enough to make me actually heart radio if their DJs actually played it. “Piece of the Action” is an observation of the stark reality of looking out over the wealthy migrants who have come to New York looking for something that isn’t theirs. The reason why D Generation with their dirty Lower East Side Faces meets Dead Boys riffs and singer Jesse Malin’s clever turn of the lyrics matters is because Nothing Is Anywhere is raw and the real deal.

Downtown at Dawn – Screaming from the Rooftops

Downtown at Dawn caught my eye because I like a Richard Hell tune by the same name as the band. I saw they were playing a CD release near me so I streamed the CD and went to the show because … why not? On their best-of jammers like “Desert Stone” and “Skinny Legs,” Downtown at Dawn bring it with this air of psychedelic punk blues. “Suck City” revives the best elements of K’s Choice. I started off mostly bored by “Hang Ups,” but when they go into the “you know some day this will all decay” bridge I’m buying. “O Aurora” is the big hit here waiting to happen if you are reading, Wendell.

Michael Graham –So Happy and Lonely

The former Ants in The Cellar front man returns with brand spankin’ new EP So Happy and Lonely that offers a new way to get down. I always get stoked when someone I caught at Stuart’s in the ’90s puts out a new biscuit. I had been grooving to one of the new nuggets, “Six Hard Drinks,” (about adventures at a Chinese restaurant with a shot of tequila) maybe a little too hard. I definitely had six hard drinks before writing this, but sometimes one has to own it. “So Happy” is a burst of exuberance that rains through like the sun on a Sunday morning. The third tune, “Moon Song,” is a tough sell but So Happy and Lonely is an EP with three versions of the two other songs. Graham is electrifying live.

The long-awaited record from The Z-Boys is here! The record mixes touches of heavy-duty surf-guitar with two instrumental openers that had me wondering if these guys can play too good for their own good. “Josephina” weaves a guitar tapestry into an urban Dick Dale stomp. “Desert Samurai” and “Boogaloo” deliver what the latter promises, a dance party for the ages. Catch The Z-Boys’ release party and get out of your seat and dance!

The Z-Boys celebrate the release of their album with a show with Cannibal Ramblers and Lovesick at The Columbus Theatre on September 23.

The Concert Across America to End Gun Violence – featuring Kristin Hersh and more!

This Concert Across America to End Gun Violence is designed to rally support of passing three sensible gun safety laws – no guns in K-12 schools, 10-round magazine limit, and no guns for misdemeanor domestic violent offenders, all of which seems sensible to me. The event will be part of the Concert Across America to End Gun Violence, which is going down in 150 different venues. I’m a huge fan of Throwing Muses so the chance to catch Kristin Hersh, outside of a one-off library performance on her book tour in her own state in God knows how long, is worth the price of admission. It goes without saying there is too much death out there and anything that can bring people together to end this I’m all for.

The Concert Across America to End Gun Violence with performances by Kristin Hersh, Ian Fitzgerald, Muggs Fogarty, Penn Sultan, Hott Boyz, and special guests goes down at the Columbus Theatre on September 25. The performances will start at 7pm.

David Hemingway Memorial Concert

A year ago we lost a great member of our community with the passing of Dave Hemingway to testicular cancer. Though he passed, he never strayed from our thoughts or our hearts. Dave’s friends organized a memorial concert to raise funds to defeat cancer. Dave was too young to leave us, but his passing shouldn’t be in vain as we can join together to beat cancer. For those unable to attend but wish to make a donation, go to myjimmyfundpage.org/give/daviddrumshemingway

David Hemingway Memorial Concert features performances by WOOZY, The David Tessier All-Star Band, Tall Teenagers, The Above, Eric and the Nothing, Kris Hansen, Heather Rose and Dan White goes down at the Columbus Theatre on October 1.